If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Next 2 weeks will be huge for the Steelers...

In terms of having a legit chance to not only win the AFC North but also get the number 1 seed in the AFC and homefield throughout the playoffs. Having the tiebraker over the Patriots now who I still think will win the AFC East over both the Bills and the Jets is huge when it comes down to playoff positioning later on in the season. Now if you can win these next 2 games and get to 8-2 overall going into the bye week,6-2 overall in the AFC and 2-1 within the division with 2 out of the last 3 division games with the Browns and Bengals both at home you are going to be in excellent excellent shape the rest of the way especially with the way this schedule is shaping up the rest of the way.

The only game after these next 2 that I could see the Steelers potentially losing the rest of the way is at San Francisco on December 19th on a Monday night. And even if they would happen to lose that game it would be another loss but it would be an NFC loss and wouldnt really hurt the Steelers if it came down to tiebrakers within the AFC with the teams they are fighting with. The Steelers do have a game in Kansas City after the bye week against a Chiefs team on the road at Arrowhead that is playing a lot better as of late but I still dont think they have enough to take down a team like the Steelers. And Im sorry I just dont see either the Bengals or the Browns winning here at Heinz Field when they play both of them in a span of 5 days to start December. So these next 2 games are virtually it I believe in terms of setting yourself up the rest of the way to get that top seed in the AFC.

The Steelers are still going to have to hold off the winner of the AFC West who I think will either be Oakland or San Diego and I dont believe either of those teams will have more wins then the Steelers will. And let's not forget about the Houston Texans as well who are still probably going to win the South and currently own the head to head tiebraker over the Steelers with their win over them in early October. But the bottom line is winning these 2 games the next 2 weeks against both the Ravens and the Bengals will put the Steelers in prime prime position to control their own destiny the rest of the way in terms of winning the division and getting the bye week and homefield advantage in the AFC.

This win yesterday did so much for the Steelers, and not just in terms of the standings. They heard all week long about how Brady owns them, the Patriots always beat the Steelers, Pittsburgh can't beat New England. They had enough and they went out and took care of business. Considering that Belichick had 2 weeks to prepare makes it all the more impressive.

Beating the Patriots was probably the least important of the 3 games coming up believe it or not, simply because the next 2 are divisional games. All 3 of these games are extremely important because their all conference games and in the playoff chase in December you like having the tie breaker advantage against as many teams as possible. Having this one up on New England will be huge later on, especially since the AFC East is so competitive, it's no gimme that they win the division although they probably still will. Anything can happen.

For our standings though every AFC win is important and since both the Bengals and Ravens won again. The Ravens nearly blew it against an inferior Cards team but nonetheless they won and we had to keep pace. Beating the Ravens next Sunday is an absolute MUST win game.